Frequently Asked Questions

Updated on Thursday, June 21, 2012

What is yoga?

Yoga is a health maintenance system that utilizes several mind body practices to enhance well being, optimize body systems, and assist in the connect to life. Some of these practice resemble stretches, breathing exercises, or even animal shapes, to name but a few.

Who are we?

Octopus Garden began as a group of three friends looking to find a home to express the evolving form of yoga. Today we are a continually growing family of more than ten instructors serving the needs of our vibrant community.

Why the name?

The name Octopus Garden was born in part out of the reference to Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, a famous yoga text. In it, Patanjali outlines the 8-limbed (“ashtanga” in Sanskrit, “octopus” in Greek), path to achieving freedom. The second part of the name refers to our intention to build a growing and thriving community, or garden, in order to share this process with others.

What style of yoga do you teach?

The bulk of our classes are based on a unique expression of vigorous Hatha (physical) yoga, emphasizing alignment, form, and attention to detail. Each of our classes are a celebration of individual differences and ultimately we aim to serve the needs of those in front of us, so each class becomes unique depending on the students in the room.
In addition to our regular classes, we have some specialty classes such as Restorative, a more supportive and therapeutic form of practice, and Self Practice, a unique class that encourages each student to practice a form that is appropriate to them, whether therapeutic, advanced, or beginner based. We also have frequent workshops, intensives, and retreats to support a well-rounded yoga practice.

How do I get started?

We offer a free week of drop-in yoga classes to newcomers so you can try our many classes and get to meet us. Our drop-in schedule has at least one All Levels class every day, suitable for people who are relatively new to yoga.

What other services do you offer?

We have a therapeutic component to our studio, offering Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Osteopathy, Registered Massage Therapy, and more.

What if I have an injury?

If you have injuries or other physical limitations that cause you to be wary of starting yoga,
we can suggest several options to begin practicing in a way that is safe and effective. Private 1-on-1 sessions can be arranged to properly assess your needs, challenges, and strengths. This is a great way to begin before taking general group classes, but it can be costly. Another option is the Self Practice classes where the teacher can give you more individualized attention and guide you towards practicing in a healthy and intelligent manner.

Do you have to be flexible to do yoga?

Yoga ultimately leads to an integrated blend of strength and flexibility that optimizes the potential of the human body. Some beginning students find flexibility more of a challenge while others find the strength requirements more difficult; it depends on the person. In the end, flexibility without strength is not useful and strength without flexibility is equally unhelpful, so the mastery of yoga will often parallel the balancing of these complementary aspects.